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Sharks

Sharks are a regular sighting in Sydney. There are higher chances to see sharks during the winter months although they are seen on most dives all year round. Blind Sharks, Wobbegong Sharks, Port Jackson Sharks and the very similar looking Crested Bullhead Sharks are the most common types of shark and can be seen on most dives, be that from shore or boat. Occasionally Grey Nurse Sharks can also be seen from shore which is really special. In Shelly Beach there is often a group of Dusky Whaler Sharks skirting around in the distance, just out of reach for good photo opportunities.

Whilst I know from friends that Angelsharks are in Sydney, usually buried in the sand, I have never seen them but always keep my eye out for them. Sydney also is home to the Bull Shark and Great White Shark but these are very rarely seen and so not mentioned in this website. Many other sharks have been reported to travel through Sydney including the Mako Shark (the fastest of all sharks) and the Blue Shark, but this is again quite rare so do not receive much attention in this website.

Contrary to common belief sharks are harmless. As with all animals care should be taken not to aggravate them or threathen them since some have the potential to cause harm, although from all my dives I have mostly just seen them as curious gentle creatures with a bad reputation.

Background:Sharks are part of the Chondrichthyes family of fish. Cartilaginous Fish (Chondrichthyes) comprise of sharks, rays and chimaeras (ghost sharks). They are characterised in the same group as they do not have bones but instead have a hardened cartilaginous skeleton (much like the human nose and ears) and have a jaw suspended form the skull with five to seven gill openings. They evolved some 400 million years ago and there are around 570 species of sharks worldwide known to date. I am sure there are so many more to discover since the third largest species (Megamouth) only ever first discovered in 1976. There are eight main groups of sharks:

​Shark Anatomy:​Unlike bony fish, sharks do not have a swim bladder and their gills are out in the open without a covering. They also have the electrical sense (known as their 7th sense) which allows them to transfer data quickly back to their brain through their Lateral Line (an electro reception system).

Their skin is made up of many dermal denticles (which translates to "tiny skin teeth") which gives sharks the ability to move through the water much faster than other marine animals. Under the microscope these dermal denticles are like scales which overlap from tail to the front giving the shark ease in moving quickly and effortlessly through water. During the 2012 Olympics the swimmers were claimed to be wearing shark skin inspired suits which were manufactured to mimic the shark's dermal denticles, resulting in an ability to swim even faster in the water.

Sharks have six fins along their body which are illustrated in the picture below of a Blue Shark (seen in the Azores, not in Australia).

Click below for more information about the sharks we see regularly in Sydney.